


Intermission

by Follow_the_white_R4bbit



Category: Compilation of Final Fantasy VII
Genre: Cloud's POV, F/M, Fluff, Rating will go up in later chapters, Some Plot, Swearing, Wholesome, focus on their relationship, horribly romantic writing style, lots of swearing, no beta we die like men, pure clerith, set after the remake
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-25
Updated: 2020-07-26
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:41:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,930
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25506112
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Follow_the_white_R4bbit/pseuds/Follow_the_white_R4bbit
Summary: After leaving Midgar, the group comes across the small village of Rihdale where they decide to rest for a while. Cloud is a good bodyguard. Pure wholesome Clerith story.
Relationships: Aerith Gainsborough/Cloud Strife
Comments: 9
Kudos: 61





	1. Under the stars

She tried very hard to hide it, but being a good bodyguard, I spotted it nonetheless.

Aerith was quieter than usual, even when talking to the others. When she smiled, her smile didn’t reach her eyes and when she laughed, her cheeks, normally holding a gentle blush, remained pale. Numerous times I would find her staring at nothing in particular, lost in thought. 

“What’s with that frown?” I asked her once, catching her off guard from her musing. She whipped around, as if she’d been spooked, big green eyes looking at me with something like fear, until she smiled that smile that held more sadness than joy.

“It’s nothing.” She cooed, clasping her hands behind her back the way she likes to do. “Are you the only one who’s allowed to frown?”

“Maybe. Because I’m the only one who looks good doing that.”

I tried to make her laugh and she did, a soft sound, muffled by something I couldn’t place. “Can’t argue with that.” She said and left me with that. 

I thought maybe she was homesick, having never left Midgar before. Maybe she was scared of the unknown or just lonely. Whatever it was, she wouldn’t tell. 

If she wanted to keep it from me, that’s fine. I didn’t want to pry or force her into an uncomfortable situation. She probably had her reasons. 

She didn’t have to tell me anyway. 

But I’d try to make her feel better nonetheless. 

x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0

It’s late in the evening when I see her standing on the balcony of the inn we gathered to rest for the night. We’ve made our way past Kalm to a small village by the name of Rihdale, somewhere in the middle between Kalm and Junon. A village not worth mentioning, as idyllic as any, but safe for the time being and a good place to rest before we continue our journey. The others seemed happy for the opportunity to sleep in a real bed for once and not in a tent. 

While I knew that Tifa, Barret and Red could hold their weight and take another week of camping in the middle of nowhere, Aerith was different. She tried her best to keep up the pace, never complaining, but I could see the exhaustion in the way she’d slump her shoulders or drag her feet sometimes. Sometimes she’d sneak away from the others and when she thought no one was looking, she’d take off her boots and massage her feet and legs. 

She probably believes I would think less of her because of that, but in reality, I admire her for it. She is different from us. She isn’t a mercenary or ex-SOLDIER like me, a chunk of muscles like Barret, an agile creature like Red or an enduring fighter like Tifa. She is delicate and tender, all smooth skin and slender build, her strength undeniable in her character and will, but lacking in her physical form. And yet, she keeps up with us, climbs rocky paths and fights vicious monsters. 

But there’s only so much you can take, especially when you’re untrained and practically unprepared. I knew she needed some rest. That’s why I suggested staying in Rihdale for the night. 

She tried not to let it show, but I saw the relief in her eyes when we agreed. 

Now I see her standing there on the balcony, watching the stars, the others long since asleep. The soft yellow light of the street lamps illuminates her face as she looks upward, searching for something in the sky. 

She hears me when I approach her and turns around, smiling at me. “Heya.” she greets me, her voice like a soft melody. 

“Hey.” I nod to her, standing next to her, turning my head to look at what she’d been observing before. 

“It’s really pretty.” she says, her eyes reflecting the stars. “The night sky. I thought I was lucky in Midgar, being able to see some of it, even under the plate. But here, it’s different. It’s so much clearer. So many more stars.”

“The air is different here.” I explain to her. “Less smog than in Midgar. Nothing to obscure your view.”

She hums, smiling. 

We stay in silence for a while, looking at the stars. 

I remember a similar moment with Tifa, when we were younger, but this is different. I feel no pressure, no haste, no urgency that pushes me forward to become better or to prove myself. I also feel no guilt or fear of rejection or prejudice that always accompanied me when I was younger, trying so hard to make Tifa notice me. With Aerith, there is none of that. Aerith is different. From the very first moment we met, she had always made me feel welcome. Appreciated. Accepted.

Looking up at the sky, standing next to her, the warmth of her body so reassuringly close to mine, I feel something I haven’t felt for a long time. Something that I wasn’t even aware I had been missing until now that I’m so painfully aware of it, like a man dying of thirst who has finally reached water.

I feel at peace.

“How are you feeling?” I ask her and she sighs, holding her smile nonetheless, not letting her face betray her. “You’ve been asking me that a lot lately.” she replies scoldingly, teasingly, but her eyes are scanning me, searching. 

“I’m your bodyguard, remember? It’s my job to make sure you’re okay.”

She laughs softly at that. “Still my bodyguard?” she asks, the teasing replaced with wonder. 

“Yup.” I say it without room for doubt, because there is none. 

She looks up at me again, and I feel her eyes boring deep into my soul, searching for meaning. 

I continue, trying to lighten the mood. “You haven’t fired me yet.”

She laughs again, this time more sincerely. “Fire you? What for? For doing too good of a job?”

I shrug, letting a small smile tug at my lips. Making her laugh feels good. I feel bold.

“You haven’t paid me yet either.” I say, watching her reaction.

Her eyes widen and her smile falters a little. It takes her a moment to process my words, to search my face for context. The blush on her cheeks reassures me. 

She tries to regain her composure, her telltale smile on her lips as she plays for the upper hand, something that has intrigued me from the very moment I saw her for the first time. Even when she’s nervous or scared, she tries to remain the dominant part of the situation. She tries to keep control. 

She could have dismissed my flirting and I wouldn’t have brought it up again. Instead she counters it and raises the stakes. 

She’s challenging me. That delicate, tender woman who has the guts to challenge me.

It excites me.

She excites me.

“Haven’t had the opportunity to pay you back in full yet. And I don’t want to pay by installments.” 

I change my posture, crossing my arms in front of my chest and making a serious face, but letting a small smirk betray me. 

“You still owe me for my services outside of Midgar as well.”

She raises her eyebrows in surprise and I watch her, amused by her reaction, waiting for her comeback. I’m impatient, but I try not to let it show. I keep my poker face, trying to let her drop hers first. 

“You’re charging that extra?” She asks, playfully offended. “How knew you’d be so expensive?”

“Good things don’t come cheap.” I reply, this time letting my smirk show and she laughs, genuinely this time. The sound makes my heart race. 

“Alright, maybe we can negotiate a rate?” She smiles, her blush coloring her cheeks in a soft rose color, making her look alive again. “As I’m a returning customer, how about a discount?”

I shake my head. “No can do. You’re a piece of work. You’re lucky I don’t charge you extra.”

She’s grinning at me now, enjoying our playful flirting. I watch her come back to life, like a flower in bloom. 

I hold her gaze, anxiously waiting for her reply. 

“Fair point.” She shrugs, leaning against the balcony railing. “But that’s also for your own benefit, you know? Wouldn’t want you to get rusty because of jobs that are too easy for a first class bodyguard like you.”

“Don’t overexert yourself.” I warn her and she straightens her posture again, putting her hands to her waist.

“Oh don’t you worry about that!” she tells me, confidence as thick in her voice as the teasing. “I can handle more than you think. I’m a big girl, you know?”

“I think you’re handling enough right now.” I say tenderly, looking at her with an earnest expression. Her flirty playfulness gives way to something softer, confusion laced with weakness. 

She looks away to hide it. 

I step a little closer, still giving her space, but in reach, should she want it. 

“Whatever it is that’s troubling you…” I begin, looking at her profile, a breath away, “I want you to know that you’re not alone. I’ll protect you, Aerith. Even from yourself, if I have to.”

She looks up at me, big green eyes so full of hope and fear at the same time.

“What if you can’t?” she breathes, barely above a whisper, not daring to let the words form. 

“I can.” I reassure her and I mean it. 

She must have seen the determination in my eyes because her fear is replaced by sadness. She looks away again, but I touch her arm, a friendly gesture meant to reassure her and to make her look at me again. 

She does turn her head and her eyes meet mine. 

“If you’ll let me.” I say, not letting go of her arm, not looking away from her, not breaking away. 

Neither does she. 

She is silent for a while. I don’t rush her. I wait for her reply. 

I’d give her all the time she’d need. 

She smiles and turns away, making me lose my hold on her arm a little. She’s still avoiding eye contact.  
“Who knew you’re such a sap, Cloud?” she asks playfully, trying to dodge the conversation.

I know her better.

“I mean it.” I say, not letting it go, not letting her go. I need her to know. 

Finally, she looks at me again and her smile is sincere, albeit sad. “I know.” she whispers, looking down. She brings up her hands and plays with her fingers softly; a nervous tick. 

There’s an impenetrable wall she’s built around herself, I can tell, and she’s not ready to let me in. Maybe she never will.  
It doesn’t matter. I’ll protect her nonetheless.

I want her to be happy. So I don’t push her. 

I let go of her arm and nod to the sleeping town, covered in a blanket of soft darkness and silence. “What do you think of the village?”

She seems grateful for the change of topic, because she smiles again and answers quickly. “I like it. It’s calm and peaceful… almost untouched.”

Her fingers softly caress the wood of the railing, trailing over it like a butterfly’s touch. “In Midgar, everything was made of steel and iron… except for my home in the slums. We used wood back there… like here.”

She closes her eyes, inhaling. “I can feel the planet here… flowing through the wood of the houses… the stones of the pavement… the water in the air…” 

Her features relax, her mouth opens slightly, like in a deep state of trance. “I can feel… all this energy… pulsing through everything…. nourishing ...connecting… I feel… I feel...”

She stops, maybe searching for the right words, maybe lost in the sensation. I watch her in awe, mesmerised by her beauty: her cheeks and lips shine like rose petals covered in morning dew, her soft auburn hair reflecting the golden light of the lamps, her white skin the same color of the stars. Her delicate fingers, feminine, tenderly touching the wood. 

She breathes and I watch her chest rise and fall slowly. 

Time stands still. 

Without thinking, my mouth is faster than my brain, I blurt out: “We can stay.”

She snaps out of whatever trance she was in, looking at me in surprise. I feel ashamed for staring suddenly, my cheeks getting hot and I stutter a little, before regaining my cool.

“I mean… for a while. We need some rest and it wouldn’t hurt to prepare before we continue. Get some cash, upgrade our weapons, stock up on items…”

I’m rambling now and she must have noticed because she giggles quietly. 

I suddenly feel nervous. 

“I’d like that.” she eventually says and her smile is grateful. 

I nod slowly, not able to take my eyes off her. “I meant it when I said I’m the only one looking good with a frown.” I say, the shadow of a smile on my face. “You look better when you’re smiling.”

She blushes, turning her head away shyly, but her smile stays. 

She doesn’t let her shyness stay for long, always trying to have the upper hand. “I guess you’ll have to make me smile more often then.”

“Sure.” I reply, happy for the change of tone. I can deal with a challenge. “But that costs extra.”

She huffs out a laugh and I smile as well. I can’t help it. She’s radiant. 

“My, if we continue like that, I’ll be in debt before I know it.” she teases.  
I shrug. “I’ve been working in advance for a while now. No reason to change that.”  
“That’s a terrible business model, you know.” 

She’s right, but I shrug again nonetheless. “I trust you to pay me back in full eventually.”

I look at her, study her expression. Aerith is difficult to read, always hiding behind that cheerful attitude and contagious smile, but I’ve come to be more perceptive about the little details she can’t control: how her smile wouldn’t reach her eyes, how one corner of her mouth would drop ever so slightly, how she’d look down and slightly to the side. 

Maybe it’s because I’m an ex-SOLDIER, trained to notice even the tiniest details. I think it’s more likely it’s because of her. I’ve never been one to care much about others, but with Aerith it’s difficult for me not to care. 

“You should get some rest. You look tired.” I say and she yawns as if on cue and rubs her eyes.  
“Gosh, you’re right… I didn’t even notice how tired I was.” she murmurs and stretches her arms a little. “

“It’s been a hard week. It’s taken its toll on everyone.” I try to reassure her. I know how afraid she is of being seen as a burden, although she is far from it. Even when I first met her and fought at her side in the Midgar slums, I immediately knew she was tough. Still, I suppose we all have our fears. She’s no exception.

I wanted to make sure she wouldn’t have to be afraid of anything.

“Even you?” she asks in regard to my previous statement and I close my eyes, my arms crossed in front of my chest and let all of my coolness ooze into my voice. “I’m not everyone.”

“No… I guess not. You’re special.” she says with a soft smile. I feel my heart skip a beat it those words, my cheeks heating up. I try to think of a good comeback, but words fail me. Damn, she did it again. I guess she wins this round. 

“Go to bed.” I say dismissively with a fake sigh of exasperation. She giggles, relishing in her victory and I can’t hide the slight twitch of my lips trying so desperately to form a smile.  
“Yes, sir.” Aerith nods, suddenly complacent and I’m both happy and disappointed at the same time. 

She takes a couple of steps toward the inn before pausing in her tracks and turning around to face me. “Thanks for checking up on me.” she says softly. One of her arms wraps around the other, maybe because of the slight breeze, maybe because of shyness. 

“Anytime.” I nod and turn my head slightly to the side to encourage her to leave. I can feel her eyes on my face for a little longer before she does turn around and steps into the inn. I stay until I hear the door to her room open and close silently. 

Sighing, I close my eyes. Her scent still lingers next to me; sweet and feminine and reminding me of flowers.

“Make the most of every minute.” she had said to me before and I would make sure to hold her to that. I knew she could hold her weight and didn’t need anyone to take care of her. We were the same in that regard. But nonetheless, it’s good to know that sometimes, there’s someone else looking out for you.  
She taught me that. 

So if there is a way for me to make this strenuous journey less burdensome for her, I’d find it. 

I’m her bodyguard, after all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> My very first written fic! I'm a comic artist by trade, but I felt like I needed to write something for this pairing <3  
> Clerith is the very first pairing I ever shipped (back in the good old days of the original game) and the remake had so many Clerith scenes, I was greatly inspired. <3  
> This story is all about their relationship from Cloud's POV and it is entirely for fun. So expect a very pure, funny and romantic story. If you're here for drama and heartache, this is the wrong place. This fic is for everyone (including me) who wants to indulge in the sweetness and wholesomeness of this pairing. ...as long as we can, that is. 
> 
> I hope you enjoy this journey with me :)


	2. Under the sun

The sun is blazing mercilessly.

Barret is wheezing next to me like a massive old boar after a strenuous session of persistence hunting, completely drenched in sweat. He had foregone his jacket because of the heat, but by the looks of it, it doesn’t make much of a difference.  
I, too, despite the mako flowing through my system and making me more resilient to any outer stress stimuli, could feel the heat affect me; my body covered in a thin layer of sweat, making the shirt I chose to wear instead of my sweater and armor cling to me in a disgustingly wet fashion. For the uptenth time today I cursed my choice of color because the black of my shirt seemed to swallow even more heat from the massive star already torturing us incessantly. 

“Fuuuuck,” Barret groans in exhaustion, trying to wipe the excessive amounts of sweat from his forehead and only ending up smearing it. His entire body is wet with moisture. “Not even a fucking ShinRa executive should be forced to work in this fucking heat. This is inhumane! This is fucking torture!”   
He emphasises his words by heavily swinging the hammer that is rudimentally attached to his gun arm. I think it would be safer to continue working in a reasonable distance from him.

“You want to lie down before you swoon?” I say coldly, not wanting to show that the heat is affecting me as well. Barret huffs in anger, turning to face me.  
“Listen, you can drop that shit-act of Mr. fucking cool-guy and get off my balls before I clock you over the head with this thing.”  
“This thing” being the hammer he now swings around more arbitrarily than before. I raise my eyebrows in disbelief. That guy really is more brawn than brain. And to believe he had been carrying explosives when we first met...

“You want to hit something, make yourself useful and keep hammering those nails.” I reply, turning back to my own work. The wood I’m cutting in half with the saw is dry, making a crunching noise every time the saw is serrating through it. I can feel the noise more than I can hear it, rocking a violent, sickening vibration through my body each time I move the saw. The dust in the hot, dry air is making my eyes water. 

Barret grunts in response and to my surprise goes back to work. At least he knows I’m right and doesn’t insist on bickering. I don’t think I could keep my patience in this heat. 

x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0x0

We were having breakfast in the inn this morning when I told everyone about my plans. They were surprised, not having expected me to propose staying in Rihdale for a while, but quickly warmed up to the idea. No one could deny the fact that this would be beneficial for our journey. We could earn some extra cash, upgrade our weapons and gear and most importantly replenish our energy. 

Aerith’s grateful smile was enough compensation for a week of dilly-dallying. 

We were in luck because our timing couldn’t have been more impeccable. Apparently Rihdale was having its 150th anniversary and they were planning to organise a big festival to celebrate. The preparations weren’t even halfway done which meant there was plenty of work around town. 

The inn was looking for help in the kitchen and bar to accommodate tourists and Tifa immediately volunteered.   
Workers were needed to help construct booths and a stage for musicians at town center; Barret’s sheer size and my mako eyes were enough to convince the foreman.  
Finding suitable work for Red and Aerith proved to be more challenging, but she offered to take various part time jobs around town to help out. 

With everyone situated at their own respective assignment, we agreed to regroup at the inn in the evening. 

And now, I’m standing in this unbearable heat, sawing wood in half for thirty Gil an hour and feeling annoyed with myself and the entire situation.

Barret wasn’t helping. 

“So uh…. hey Cloud….” he says after a while of semi peaceful constructive work and I turn slightly to face him. “What?”

He stutters a little, seeming embarrassed about something. Honestly, I don’t have time to deal with a manchild right now, my patience wearing thin already. “You got a sunstroke?” I say with more annoyance than necessary to spur him out of his awkward spluttering. 

“Fuck off.” he eloquently rebukes before cursing again and shaking his head. “I uhh.. wanted to ask you something.” 

“You don’t say.” I reply, turning back to cutting the boards to length. I’m not sure if I want to deal with a socially awkward, 300 pound mountain of muscle right now, in the middle of fucking nowhere while we’re both being grilled alive by the sun for payment that wouldn’t usually be enough to make me snort at it.

It’s not that I dislike Barret, that’s not the issue. It’s not that I particularly like him though either. I trust him as a good fighter and I value him as a man who would die for what he believes in and for who he loves. I respect him for that and I’m glad to know I have someone reliable like him in the team. We get along. Other than that, there’s not much connecting us on a personal level. His views on politics and environmentalism don’t interest me. His explosive temperament is annoying at best. 

So why the fuck would he want to ask me something obviously personal enough to make him uncomfortable?

I sigh and once I had finished the board I had been working on, I put down the saw and cross my arms in front of my chest. “Spit it out already. What is it?”

Maybe it’s because of the fact that we aren’t friends. Some things you can only ask people you are not too close with.   
I may be distant and indifferent, but I’m not cruel. Especially not to the ones in my team.

Barret seems grateful for it because he takes a deep breath and finally gets to the point.   
“So you and Tifa… you’re uhh… close?”

Not having expected this sort of question, I have to blink a couple of times to process it and search for context. Social interactions are difficult for me and I find it hard to think of a reason why he’d ask me that. Maybe he’s just curious. Probably not. There’s something more to it. 

“I guess.” I shrug nonchalantly. “We grew up together. Haven’t seen her for a while before meeting again in Midgar.”

Barret nods and starts stuttering again, trying very hard to find the right words. I wish he’d just get on with it already; I don’t have the energy to deal with this. 

“So uhh…” he starts again, rubbing the back of his head. His skin is positively oily now with sweat. I can hear a wet noise when his hand meets his the fleshy rolls of his neck.  
“She uhh… she’s really something, isn’t she?”

Oh. 

So that’s what it’s about. 

Fucking hell.

I roll my eyes and pick up the saw again, turning away from him with the intention to get back to work.

“Hey, hold on a second there!” he yells, “What’s wrong? Don’t wanna talk about it?”

“Nope.” I say. This conversation is over. 

...apparently for him, it’s not.

“C’mon, you can tell me.” He snickers. The knowing tone in his voice, as if he’d just caught me doing something indecent, irritates me. “I mean, honestly, I don’t blame ya. Tifa’s a real nice girl. Her cooking is amazing. She’s the most gorgeous woman I’ve ever seen. Body like a fucking goddess, can pack a mean punch, too. And holy crap, that rack, son, I fucking tell ya, I swear she could just smother you with her tits-”

“Are you done?” I ask with, not being able to mask the aggression in my voice. Barret chuckles again; it sounds both apologetic and accusing.

“Hey man, sorry, don’t get your panties all scrunched up. Just checking.”   
I was hoping my silence would end this terrible conversation, but apparently, it did the opposite. “You know she likes you, too, right? Why don’t you just ask her out? I’m sure she’d-”

“I don’t like her that way.” I say coldly, facing him. The tone of my voice, full of aggression and annoyance, makes him flinch. “And I’d appreciate it if you wouldn’t continue this absurd train of thought. Tifa and I are not that close. And I don’t want to change that situation either. Apart from the fact that she’s a reliable fighter and person I trust, I have no interest in her whatsoever.”

Barret stares at me now, both mouth and eyes wide open in disbelief and surprise. It takes a couple of moments before he regains his composure. I don’t wait for it though. Instead, I make a clear statement that this conversation is over by turning back to my work. 

“Hey guys!” As if on cue, a female voice calls out to us. Barret and I both turn to look the direction it’s coming from.

Tifa is approaching us, smiling and waving. She had changed into a different outfit as well: she isn’t wearing her black undershirt, the white tank top hugging her figure tightly, accompanied by a pair of very short black pants that do a poor job at covering her bottom. A cowboy hat shields her face from the sun, but other than that, most of her skin is exposed; well toned thighs and bare midriff at display for everyone as she walks toward us confidently, her hips swaying. Judging from the way her breasts are bouncing with every movement, it is evident that she isn’t wearing a bra. Maybe because of the heat, maybe because she likes the attention. Probably a combination of both. 

The reaction is imminent. Barret’s jaw drops and the other construction workers at the site stop in their tracks, shamelessly ogling Tifa. 

There is no denying that Tifa is beautiful, her body the embodiment of every man’s wet fantasy. She knows of the effect she has on men and she relishes it; I can see it in her confident smirk as she throws a quick glance at the other men. But the way she flaunts her body is more off-putting to me than enticing. Tifa is just too much of everything, overwhelming and too in your face. There is no secret to her, no guessing, everything is laid bare and for everyone to indulge.   
I find it vulgar. 

She has made her way over to us and Barret greets her with a warm smile. I notice the way she’s scanning my body before looking back into my eyes; a playful smirk on her lips. I don’t acknowledge it. 

“Tifa, honey.” Barret welcomes her. “Nice to see you. Sweet of you to pay us a visit.”

“Of course.” she chirps, holding up a basket. “I brought you guys some refreshments. Thought you might need it in this heat.”

Digging through the basket, she hands us a bottle of water each. Barret immediately takes it and almost empties the entire bottle in a couple of big, quick gulps before taking another one and dousing the water all over his head.   
I, too, take the bottle, enjoying the cold against my skin and throat. The water feels refreshing and revitalising. 

I can feel her watch me. 

“I also brought you some food.” Tifa says, showing the other contents of the basket, stuffed to the brim with sandwiches, fruits and other cold snacks.   
“Ooooh, Tifa, you’re an angel!” Barret exclaims, grabbing one of the sandwiches and with little to no grace digging in. She beams at the compliment. 

“Thanks.” I say but don’t take any of the food. Instead, I ask her: “Did you bring any to Aerith and Red?”

She frowns a little when I mention Aerith’s name and I feel anger slowly build in my chest. 

This isn’t the first time it happens. I noticed it back in Midgar as well; after Aerith’s abduction, Tifa would be the first one to speak out against saving her or at least playing for more time on multiple occasions.   
I found it impudent how she could leave Aerith to her own fate after she had put herself at a tremendous risk even before knowing Tifa at all. Aerith was willing to put herself in danger for her, going at great lengths to be chosen by Don Corneo on Tifa’s behalf, fighting for her in the colosseum without ever doubting her decision, for a complete stranger. And Tifa would repay her by leaving her alone in the ShinRa HQ.

I don’t think Tifa dislikes Aerith; in the contrary. I watched them giggle together, spending a lot of time with each other, talking about God knows what. Which is why it makes me all the angrier when Tifa knowingly foregoes Aerith. I just don’t understand how she could treat a friend like that. 

On an emotional level, I understand because I know Tifa. Back when we were kids, I was trying everything I could to be noticed by her, to be part of her group, only to be rejected again and again. Only when I told her I’d leave to become a SOLDIER, she suddenly took interest in me.   
It’s not so different now. Tifa didn’t show any interest in me whatsoever when we met again in Midgar. She was nice to me, but immediately distanced herself from me when she had to, preferring to spend time with AVALANCHE after a job that was only successful in the first place because I was the hired help.   
Only when Aerith showed up, Tifa’s behavior toward me changed. I remember how she got more touchy and clingy, something she’d never done before. When Aerith sought out to me for comfort at the haunted train station, Tifa copied her. When Aerith was taken away by the Turks, Tifa would put her hand on my arm or chest, as if to push me away from wanting to rescue her. Even when in the ShinRa building, so close to saving Aerith, riding the elevator to reach the science labs, she’d try to deter me by making the mission not about Aerith, but about ShinRa. 

I don’t think Tifa is so jealous and possessive because she harbors romantic feelings for me. In fact, I don’t think she sees me in a romantic way at all. Tifa is used to being the center of attention. She’s used to being swarmed by men, to being wanted. I don’t think she consciously dislikes Aerith or sees her as a rival. It’s just that Tifa never got rejected by anyone. And it bothers her. 

Maybe it’s just how women work. Maybe it’s sexist of me to think that way. It’s not like I care. 

People are mean, I learned that from a very young age. People are unfair and selfish. Trying to decipher why people think or act a certain way opens a can of worms no one wants to see because it is dirty and vile and repulsive. 

So I don’t care. I don’t ask why people act the way they do. Their motives are none of my business.   
But I can judge them for their acts. Especially when it concerns someone dear to me. 

“No.” Tifa says in regard to my previous question. “She said they’d have some later when they come back from work.”

“She found a place to work at?” I ask. Tifa doesn’t seem happy that the conversation isn’t about her.   
“Yeah, at the local pharmacy.” she replies. “She’s helping the people there with some medical herbs.”

I nod and take some of the food from the basket, as well as a bottle of water. “I’ll go and bring her some of it. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.”

Tifa frowns again, fidgeting a little. She seems uncomfortable. “Well, she’s not there.” she says, avoiding eye contact.

The way she says it doesn’t sound good, so I continue asking. “Huh? Where is she, then?”

Tifa is silent for a while. She looks guilty. “She went to the forest to gather some more herbs. She said she’d be back later and not to worry about her.”

I’m stunned for a second, letting the statement sink in. 

“She went into the forest alone?” I ask with more vigor than intended and Tifa flinches for a second before regaining her composure again. “Of course not. She took Red along.”

A million different thoughts are crossing my mind right now at lightning speed: Aerith alone in the forest with no one else to protect her but Red; Aerith probably dying of thirst in this heat; Aerith lost in the forest with no sense of direction; Aerith hurt or helpless or worried or scared-  
and Tifa not telling me anything about it.

My rage is cold as I take the basket and walk past Tifa without looking at her again.

“Hey!” Barret cries out in surprise, slightly offended that I took the food. “Where do you think you’re going with that?!”

“I’m going to get Aerith.” I say, not stopping in my tracks. 

“But what about work?!” I hear Barret call out after me. The other construction workers are eyeing us with curiosity.   
I sigh and turn around. “I won’t be long. I’ll bring her the food, walk her back to town, and then I’ll finish the boards.” 

Barret groans, but doesn’t object. He just shrugs, wanting to scratch his head with his gun arm, forgetting about the hammer attached to it and inevitably hits himself with the tool. 

Honestly, I am surprised it took so long. 

I make my way to the forest. It’s not far from the town, not too big either, but still. I feel anxious, knowing that Aerith had ventured into an unknown area without much preparation or telling me about it. Maybe she wanted to prove herself. Maybe she didn’t think much of it. Maybe she didn’t want to bother me… us with it. 

Whatever her reasons might have been, it doesn’t matter now. The only thing that matters is to make sure she’s okay and bring her back safe and sound.

That’s the only thing that matters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is all about what I had noticed when I played the remake myself and when I watched a couple of analysis videos on Youtube. Just my own interpretation of characters, situations and actions. I am interested to know what you think of the scenarios I had Cloud analyse in this chapter!
> 
> I decided to write on the weekend, so the next update will take a little longer. Probably next weekend though.
> 
> This is fun <3 Clerith is pure medicine for the heart. 
> 
> Thanks to everyone who liked, left kudos, bookmarked and reviewed! You guys are amazing! <3


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